The Legend of Zelda: A Sword in the Time of Guns One-Shot Series
by Jenne Cook
Summary: A series of One-Shots based on The Legend of Zelda: A Sword in the Time of Guns...*** Melissa's Story-The story of Link's mother
1. Melissa's Story

Her foster mother would never let her stay. She was already on thin ice for having tried to run away a few months earlier, and she was about to turn 18 in a month. She looked at the doctor, who smiled weakly at the young girl.

"Congratulations, Melissa, you were right. You'll be a mom just after you graduate. You're about 5 months along; due June 24th, according to your ultrasound."

Melissa inhaled a deep, long breath, and let it out slowly. "I…I figured that I was…probably pregnant, but that seems so soon. Are you sure? Are you sure I'm already 5 months? I don't even have a belly…I've never even thrown up."

Dr. Hanlon smiled again. "You don't have to have any of that. Some ladies don't show until later. Some never get sick. Do you have any idea what you'll do?"

Melissa smirked. "Yeah," she said, "grow up."

**-O{XIX}O-**

The library was actually kind of noisy. Groups of elderly people shuffled through hardback novels, while teenagers slammed textbooks on tables and young children sat listening to a woman read a story aloud. Melissa was happy to sit at the small table in the rear by herself. Her brown leather bookbag lay on the only other chair, an easy way to keep anyone from sitting down within her little bubble of silence. She flicked at tiny pieces of eraser rubbings on her sheet of paper, expelling them from the table so that she could begin her letter anew:

"_Dear Mike,_

_I hope you're doing good. I think about you a lot, and your promise to propose when you get out of the Army. I miss you, especially right now. I just found out that I'm pregnant. I know you'll be happy, because you said that you'd want kids right away, so I hope you won't be scared like I am. I'm really scared. I don't know where I'll live or how I'll survive. I sort of hope that maybe you'll want to get married sooner, but I don't know how the Army works with their vacations or leaves. I could really use someone to help me right now, and I know you'd be there for me if you weren't already in the Army. I don't have anyone else. But, it's good to know that even if I'm just a foster kid right now, without any family at all, you will be my family, and so will this baby. _

_I love you, _

_Melissa."_

Satisfied that she had said what she needed to, Melissa folded up the letter and put it in an envelope she had on the table. She didn't know how to write to Mike at the base he was at; she'd only left letters with his mom so far, and he hadn't yet sent her anything. But this time, she'd need to send it to him herself; there was no way Mike's mom would find out about their baby before he did. She sealed the envelope and pushed it into the back pocket of her jeans as she stood up, then grabbed her bookbag and set it upon her shoulder.

Normally, Melissa worked on Friday evenings, but she'd had to take off to go to her doctor's appointment this afternoon. It was kind of nice to have some freedom on a Friday night, and she wished Mike was there to take her to the movies or something. It would have been fun to do something a teenager would do, since she'd be a mom very soon. Her foster mother was letting her stay until she graduated, but she'd made it clear that Melissa would have to move out by the weekend after. That was only a few weeks before her baby would arrive. Melissa pushed the terrifying thought out of her head as she walked through the library door, out into the dusky evening.

As she walked down the small Virginia town's main street, Melissa decided to stop at the diner to grab a strawberry milkshake. She never treated herself like this, but she felt like she just _had_ to have something with ice cream and fruit. She became excited at the thought, and she laughed at her silliness. _I'm going to be a mom_, she thought. _And I'm going to be the best mom, like I never had._

Melissa walked into the diner door and turned to her right, sitting at the very first table next to the door. It wasn't especially noisy in the diner, and it seemed to her that only she and a few other patrons were there. She ordered her milkshake, and a piece of apple pie with ice cream. She laughed again at her cravings, and figured she would just enjoy this one last night to be a teenager before real life started up again tomorrow. Tomorrow, she thought, she'll begin to plan what she'd need to do to support her baby.

She paid her bill and left the diner, satisfied and full of hope. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones, but Melissa felt great, like she could conquer anything that was thrown at her. She began walking toward Mike's mother's house, so that she could ask for the address to send her letter. It was only a couple blocks away, and she walked it quickly in the chilly February night. As she reached Mike's driveway, she heard voices, and she stumbled as she stopped abruptly to listen. She saw the darkened figures of two people sitting in the backseat of the car in the driveway, and Melissa felt sheepish to have to walk past them. The window was open on the side as the car was running, probably to keep the heat on. As she slowly neared the side of the car, her eyes widened as she heard a most familiar voice…and a most definitely unfamiliar voice. She stopped walking again, only a few feet from the side of the car.

"I am just…just not prepared…I'm not ready. I haven't thought about it." A female voice Melissa had never heard wafted from the open car window.

"Come on, you're being selfish! You can't let me leave a virgin! Four years is a really long time!" Melissa heart stopped as she listened, and her eyes grew wide.

"I have to think about it, okay? I'm not going to think about it in your mom's driveway." The girl said as Melissa took in a sharp breath.

"I leave for the Army in 3 days, Laura! What if we go to war? I could _die_! I could die a _virgin_! Come on, I already told you we'll get married when I come back, why not seal the deal now?"

"MIKE!" Melissa growled loudly, and suddenly thumping and shuffling could be heard in the car. The car door was thrown open, and Mike stumbled from the car to his feet. He looked drunk and disheveled.

"Melissa? What in the hell are you doing here?" Mike yelled, running his hand through his dark blond hair.

"Melissa?" The girl asked, "Who the fuck is Melissa?"

"Who the fuck is that, Mike?! What the fuck is this?" Melissa screamed angrily, but tears were already beginning to well in her eyes.

"She's…she's a friend, Melissa, we were just…I thought you work on Fridays?"

"A friend?!" the girl in the car screamed. "Fuck you, loser!" The girl scooted out of the car and pushed her way past Mike. Her shirt was unbuttoned and she struggled to get the buttons through the holes as she stormed out of the driveway.

"He's not a virgin!" Melissa yelled towards the girl, who was now a house away. "And he's not…" Melissa turned toward Mike, "in the ARMY!" she screamed in his face.

Mike actually giggled a little, possibly from whatever he'd drunk or smoked. He seemed out of it, and it only enraged Melissa further.

"Hey," Mike's voice quieted a little, "keep it down, would ya? The whole neighborhood doesn't need to hear you yelling. I don't even know why you're here right now. You don't really need to be here, ya know."

As Mike opened the driver's door of the car, which was still running, his mother opened the front door of the house and stepped out onto the stoop. "Mike," she yelled in a gravelly voice, "Valerie called. She said you're an hour late to pick up your son."

"Tell that bitch I'm out of town. She can take care of that baby; I'm not dealing with that shit this weekend."

Melissa stood stunned. This was _not_ the polite gentleman she'd dated for a year. This was _not_ the upstanding military man she thought she was going to marry when she'd slept with him on his supposed last night before he had to leave for his Army assignment. This was _not_ happening.

Melissa thought quickly about the letter in her back pocket. There was so much hope and promise in it, and the secret of the baby she was having with the only man she'd ever been with. Her eyes dried of their tears, and she withdrew a deep breath. If he never knew, Melissa thought, she'd never have to deal with him again. Her child could be raised her way, the right way, and not as some lowlife loser's love child. No one here in this dead-end town had to know, and she could start her own loving family when she started her new adult life after graduating. Melissa turned toward the street, and she walked away. Mike never said another word.

**PART II**

Melissa stumbled into the emergency room, having walked the entire 4 blocks from her new apartment, since she had no car. The lady behind the desk did not immediately notice her pregnant belly, as Melissa had never gotten very big and barely showed. Melissa sat down in the chair in front of the desk, lay her head down on her arm, and passed out.

Triage nurses rushed to her side with a wheelchair, and as they set their arms behind her and picked her up, a large staining of blood was on the chair. Melissa regained consciousness for a split second, long enough to pull a nurse's hair to gain her attention, and whisper,

"…pregnant…"

**-O{XIX}O-**

Melissa opened her eyes, but immediately felt like she couldn't keep them open. She was so tired, so _incredibly_ tired, and she didn't remember where she was. _Maybe it was the middle of the night_, she thought…_it's dark in here_.

"Melissa? Melissa, it's Dr. Hanlon, sweetie…you had your baby."

Melissa snorted a small, disbelieving laugh, and was instantly in pain. She winced and moaned, trying to move her legs, but she found that it was like she had none. _Oh my God_, she thought…_what happened?_

"Melissa, honey…you had your baby. Is there anyone you want us to call?"

Melissa mumbled incoherently for a second, then focused on what the doctor had said. _She'd had her baby._

"It's just me…I'm…alone. What…is it okay? What did…what did I have?"

"You had a boy, Melissa. 6lbs 6oz, 21 inches long. He's a little worse for wear, but he'll be okay." Dr. Hanlon set her hand upon Melissa's, and instantly Melissa began to cry. What had happened to her baby? She was now a mom? She had a boy? Melissa felt no tears come to her eyes, and she heaved dryly. She couldn't cry.

"It was a good thing you were so close to your due date, Melissa. These things don't normally go this well. You had placenta previa, and you hemorrhaged. You lost a lot of blood, and your baby lost his only way to get oxygen for a little while." Melissa gasped desperately, as Dr. Hanlon continued. "When you came in, we delivered your baby immediately by Caesarean section. He was not without oxygen long, thank goodness, and his early numbers were good. Still, he'll need to be in NICU for awhile, until we can make sure he's perfect. We have to make sure you're okay too, Melissa."

"What's NICU?" Melissa rasped. "Why can't I move?"

Dr. Hanlon sighed. "NICU is 'newborn intensive care unit'. They'll take the very best care of him. He's…he's at another hospital, Melissa. We don't have that level of care here, and he's at a children's hospital." Melissa whimpered. She was distraught, but had no energy to even raise her hand to her eyes and weep like she felt like doing.

Dr. Hanlon continued. "You will need blood transfusions. You can't move because of the surgery, the pain medication, and really because your body can't actually function well right now. You don't have enough blood and your body is working too hard to make new blood. You're going to be here about a week to ten days…and we anticipate your son being in NICU for about a month, maybe less if everything goes well."

Melissa finally found the strength to release the first heartbroken cry of her motherhood. She'd never even had a chance to see him, hold him…she'd never even heard her baby cry.

"Oh, Melissa, it will be all right. You both are fighters! You did wonderful, sweetie. You got here just in time. You'll be with your son soon. Do you have a name picked out?"

Melissa shook her head weakly. "No. No, I…nothing seemed right, yet. I…guess I have time to pick one now."

"Well, Beyonce named her baby Blue Ivy, so anything passes nowadays," Dr. Hanlon joked. "So what's _your_ favorite color?"

"Lincoln Green. It's the color Robin Hood wore, according to old poems. I read the stories all the time…a good guy in green, running through the woods with a sword and bows and arrows, helping anyone who needed it." Melissa took a deep breath, trying to continue, but she was desperately fatigued. "I always had a wish, when I was a kid, that some Robin Hood would come and make _my _life better. Maybe my son is my Robin Hood." Melissa smiled sadly. "I already miss him, and I've never met him."

"He's spent his whole life with you. A few weeks away won't be so bad. It will go fast, I promise," Dr. Hanlon smiled. "In the meantime, we will help you with whatever you need. Okay?"

"Dr. Hanlon, thank you. Do…whatever you have to. Give me transfusions, whatever…because I need to see my son. The sooner, the better."

Dr. Hanlon smiled again. "I thought you'd say that."

**-O{XIX}O-**

A week had passed, during which Melissa's own health had its ups and downs, but she'd made sure twice each day to call the Children's Hospital and check on her baby boy. Her baby was gaining weight and eating well, and it made her happy to know he was in the best care. She'd found out that, although she was still weak from blood loss and could barely walk after the c-section, she was being released to recover at home. A nurse would visit her every 2 days to check on her, and Dr. Hanlon had scheduled a driver to take her to the Children's Hospital after the first visit to see her son. Melissa was thrilled that she'd finally get to see her baby, and was encouraged to take care of herself in order to heal faster.

As Melissa packed her things in preparation to go home, Dr. Hanlon walked into her hospital room. Melissa had few belongings with her, and she'd had no visitors. Still, Dr. Hanlon had visited more frequently than she needed to, knowing Melissa had no relatives or friends that could help her through such a tough time.

"Your ride is waiting, Melissa. The hospital administration asked the maintenance guys to give you a ride home, since you can't walk that far and there's no taxi service in this town. There's a blue van downstairs and a nurse will take you down in a wheelchair."

"Thanks, Dr. Hanlon, I appreciate it," Melissa smiled. "I don't know what I would have done without your help. I had no one, but you've been here even when you didn't need to be."

"Everyone deserves to have someone by their side during the birth of a child. I never had children; not because I didn't want to, but…I guess I was distracted. Too busy to date, too busy to marry, too busy to adopt, and my life went on. But…if you ever need any help, Melissa, you can always call me. You don't have any parents, and I don't have any kids, but I would make _sure_ I was never too busy to help."

Melissa turned toward Dr. Hanlon and hugged her. "I will, I promise. But, it's not too late! You're not that old, you could still get married, have kids…"

"I can't have kids…anymore," Dr. Hanlon said, lowering her eyes. "I was diagnosed two years ago with uterine cancer, and it's lucky I made it this long. So, rather than discuss the bad, I try to stay positive, and realize the good. This town doesn't have a lot going for it. But you're a good person, Melissa. The kind of person I would have tried to raise myself, had I had a daughter of my own. So when I tell you, that if you ever need a mom to talk to, you got one right here."

Melissa hugged Dr. Hanlon again. "Thanks so much, I…"

Just then, a nurse knocked at Melissa's door, pushing a wheelchair. "Ms. Taran, your ride is waiting downstairs; I'm here to take you down."

"Enough mush; I'll see you soon, okay? If you have any trouble getting around at home let me know, especially after your son comes home. Sure you don't want to sign his birth certificate yet? He's still Baby Boy Taran."

Melissa shook her head as she carefully lowered herself into the wheelchair. "No, not until I hold him. I'll see him soon enough. Goodbye, Dr. Hanlon. Thanks again." Melissa smiled happily; she was finally going home.

"Call me Julia. Goodbye, Melissa. Go get some rest, and I'll see you soon."

**-O{XIX}O-**

As Melissa exited the van slowly, barely able to walk up her own driveway, the maintenance man from the hospital got out of the van as well.

"Dr. Hanlon and the staff sent you some things. I'm supposed to bring them inside for you," the man said cheerfully. Melissa was surprised. _That was nice of them_, she thought. But as she unlocked her door, the maintenance man began unloading _lots_ of things, all wrapped as they would have been for a baby shower.

"Oh my goodness! What _is_ all this? This is crazy!" Melissa laughed. She stepped aside her open door to allow the man to bring in all manner of packages, big and small. There was even a stroller and car seat, and a huge box that said, "crib" on the side. Melissa started crying with joy.

"Oh, miss…don't cry, you'll get me crying," the man said jokingly, as he brought in boxes and presents. "You must be a pretty awesome person for the staff to have done this for you. They don't do this for everyone, you know."

"Wow…" was all Melissa could muster. She hadn't had enough money to buy these things herself, just enough to rent the small house and pay her bills. She had gotten some needed things, diapers and wipes, bottles and a few outfits, but she hadn't even been able to afford a cradle. Now she had everything she needed.

As the man finished bringing in the boxes, he stopped at her door. He took his ballcap off, and a mop of dark blond hair fell about his face. He was maybe only a few years older than Melissa herself, and he seemed like a polite, well-mannered young man.

"That's everything. You need any help putting anything together, give me a call." The young man handed her a business card with his number on it. "So, you just had a baby, huh?"

Melissa's face reddened a bit. "Yeah."

"All by yourself?"

Melissa's face lowered. "Yeah. It was better that way."

"Musta been a hard decision to make. But I'm betting you had your reasons. Not everyone can do something like raising a kid without any help at all. Pretty gutsy. So, uh…" the man smiled as his face reddened now, too. "Give me a call, if you need anything. My name's Will." He extended his hand for Melissa to shake.

"Nice to meet you, Will. I'm Melissa." Melissa smiled as she shook his hand.

"Quite nice to meet you too, Melissa." Will replaced his cap upon his head and started back for the van. She smiled again as she stepped inside her apartment and closed the door.

**-O{XIX}O-**

"Ms. Taran?" A nurse called as she stepped into the waiting room at the Children's Hospital NICU. Melissa nodded and stood up.

"This is an intensive care area, so follow me and I'll show you what to do." The nurse walked down a hall and gave Melissa a white gown to put on and a hair cap to cover her head. She showed Melissa how to wash her hands and to disinfect them afterward. As they reached a double door, the nurse paused.

"The lights will be dim so that it is not overwhelming and stark to a baby's delicate eyes. You can only whisper, and should anyone come to you saying the room must clear, you must do so immediately. It could mean one of the babies needs immediate help. There will be other parents and babies here, so we all respect each other's space. Some parents' babies are much more sick than others, so we discourage questions about the babies except your own. Your son is doing wonderfully, and he will probably be able to come home within the week. Feel free to breastfeed him if you choose. Follow me."

Melissa was led to an incubator near a comfortable-looking plush chair. The nurse motioned for her to sit, and as she did, she finally saw that the incubator was not empty, but held a tiny baby swaddled in a white hospital blanket. He had a little pink-and-blue hat on his head, and only his small, scrunchy face could be seen. His eyes were closed but he was awake, and his mouth made little noises as the nurse brought him out. Melissa eyes began to water as she held out her arms, and accepted her newborn son.

"Oh my gosh…" Melissa whispered. "He's beautiful. He has blond hair," she laughed lightly, as she carefully removed the tiny hat from his head. The nurse smiled.

"I'll just leave you two alone," the nurse said quietly, as she walked away.

Melissa did nothing but hold her son for more than an hour. He slept soundly in her arms, occasionally moving his mouth or head. She even saw him smile in his sleep, just once. This was everything she'd been waiting for. She rubbed his hand with her thumb, and kissed his forehead. She felt an overwhelming love for this tiny little person that she'd never been able to even see before now.

He woke up quietly, not crying like Melissa thought all babies did, and moved his mouth and tongue. Melissa watched as he opened his eyes for the first time, and she saw that they were not blue as everyone always said newborn's eyes were, but a dark, almost black color. She smiled. The same color her own eyes were. The nurse that had walked her in came over and stood on the other side of the incubator. She held a tiny bottle in her hand.

"It's time for your son to eat, Ms. Taran. Here is a bottle if you would like to feed him."

Melissa took the bottle from the nurse, just as her son let out a mewling wail. Melissa laughed quietly. "Hold on there, I have your food," she said. She cautiously put the bottle in her baby's mouth, and he started drinking immediately. The nurse handed her a small cloth and showed her how to wipe away drools. Melissa giggled at how ravenous her son seemed to be.

"He's a good eater," the nurse whispered. Suddenly, a bell chimed quietly overhead, and the nurse sighed.

"I hate to do this, Ms. Taran, but we must clear the NICU," the nurse whispered. "You are welcome to wait but it could be hours. I suggest you go home and get some rest, and come back as soon as you can, ok?"

Melissa nodded disappointedly, and hugged her baby gently as she kissed his forehead again. "I'm sorry, sweetie, I'll be back soon," she whispered. "I love you." She handed the baby to the nurse and stood from her chair. The nurse gently put Melissa's tiny newborn son back into his safe enclosure, and led her out of the NICU. Melissa turned one last time to look at the doors, heartbroken and hopeful all at once.

**-O{XIX}O-**

The transport car pulled out of Melissa's driveway as she unlocked her front door. It was a warm night, and it was just after sundown. Still, no one was out on this evening, even as pleasant as the night was. Melissa had forgotten to turn on her porchlight before she left, and she could barely see a thing as she stepped into her house. She was still in a great mood from having seen her son finally, but her heart was aching to see him again. _No mother should ever be without her baby_, she thought as she switched on her living room light.

Melissa kicked off her shoes and set her purse down. She set her house keys on a table next to the door and walked lightly toward the kitchen. As she turned on the kitchen light, she screamed as she beheld a woman leaning against her fridge. The woman turned instantly and grabbed Melissa by the throat, stopping her scream and collapsing her to her knees.

"I am here for the baby," the woman said evenly, as Melissa heard slight rustling behind her. _Another attacker_, Melissa thought. She tried to catch her breath, and she grasped at the woman's hands. The woman let her go suddenly, and Melissa collapsed to the floor. She could not speak. She turned slowly to see another woman standing behind her. Both woman were dark-skinned, but had the same curiously bright red hair. They appeared to be identical twins.

"I will not kill you if you give me your baby. We know he's not here, and we see you do not have him with you. Where is your baby?" The woman spoke so calmly and steadily that Melissa was terrified that this was not just some random attack, but something that had been planned in advance. Knowing she had little time, she made a decision, aware of what she might be damning herself to.

"He's…" Melissa halted only a second, a mother terrified to say the words, "He's dead. He died in the hospital. I never got to see him," she gasped. Tears began to flow as she spoke. "He died two days ago."

The woman standing before Melissa looked up at the woman standing behind her. She gestured toward the boxes stacked against the wall. "Why do you have all these things?" she asked.

"He died of a brain hemorrhage. It was sudden. I…" Melissa was torturing herself, but she knew she had to protect her baby, "I couldn't deal with it yet."

The woman behind her spoke next. "You understand, that if you are lying to us, you will have lost your life for nothing. I will kill you if we do not leave here with that baby. So we will ask one final time…where is your baby?"

Melissa let out an anguished cry. "He's dead. I-"

A knife plunged into Melissa's heart, and she fell to the floor. The two women stepped over her lifeless body, and walked out into the night.

**-O{XIX}O-**

"Dr. Hanlon?"

Two sheriff's deputies stood before Julia Hanlon, and her brow furrowed. She set the file she was holding down on her desk.

"I am Julia Hanlon. What…what do you need?" she asked worriedly.

"Melissa Taran had you listed as her next-of-kin on her hospital documents. We're here…"

"What happened to Melissa?" Dr. Hanlon asked frantically. As a doctor, she knew what a visit by two deputies usually meant. "Is she…is she dead?"

"Yes, ma'am…I'm afraid she was found dead in her home this evening, a few hours ago. Her neighbor saw her front door opened and checked on her, but she had already passed." Dr. Hanlon felt faint, and set her head in her hands.

"What…" Dr. Hanlon held back tears as she spoke, "what happened to her?"

"We will need to perform an autopsy, but it appears she was attacked by an intruder."

Dr. Hanlon could no longer hold back her tears. It was not fair, this young girl who'd had nothing her whole life, finally had a good path before her…but it was taken away in one night.

"Dr. Hanlon, there is another matter to discuss…Ms. Taran's son. Being her next of kin, would you be willing to accept her son, even just temporarily, until children's services can get his custody straightened out?"

Dr. Hanlon nodded, wiping away tears. "What do you need me to do?"

"Ms. Taran never signed his birth certificate, and court proceedings cannot begin without it." The deputy produced an envelope and handed it to Dr. Hanlon. "Primarily, he needs to be named."

Dr. Hanlon sighed…Melissa had never even gotten to name her son. She took the form, and filled out the newborn boy's first and middle names: _Lincoln Greene_. _It's what Melissa would have wanted_, she thought. Suddenly, Dr. Hanlon paused.

"Melissa was attacked, right?" Dr. Hanlon asked, sniffling. "Someone broke into her home…do you know who they were?"

"No, ma'am. We have no leads," the other deputy said quietly. Dr. Hanlon considered this for a second, then returned her pen to the paper. On the baby's last name line, she wrote, _"Robanhode",_ an old pronunciation for Robin Hood she'd heard in college. _No one should ever associate this baby with this tragedy_, she thought. _Whoever hurt her could go after this baby next._

Dr. Hanlon handed the forms back to the deputies. "Melissa's son is still in the Children's Hospital. I would be honored to take custody of him as long as necessary. He should come home with me when he's ready, and I will take care of him as long as I am able."

**-O{XIX}O-**

**Epilogue**

_Dr. Hanlon cared for Melissa's baby for nearly three years as her own son, until she died of uterine cancer at the age of 47. Having no family of his own, Melissa's baby Lincoln was unfortunately entered into the foster care system, where he lived just as Melissa had until the day he turned 18._


	2. Movie Night (after chap 21)

**The Legend of Zelda: A Sword in the Time of Guns One-Shot Series**

**One Shot 1: **_**Movie Night**_

_(This one-shot takes place after Chapter 21 Part IV…the night Link, Genison, Zelda and Impa return from Kakariko and Death Mountain, after Zelda had been rescued and the Master Sword was found.)_

-O{XIX}O-

"Is that really what we're going to watch?" Genison asked incredulously. "I mean, as if we didn't have enough royal drama?"

"What's wrong with _Frozen_?" Zelda answered, holding the disc on her hand. She set it into the player before Genison could make another argument. "I've never seen it."

"I've never seen it either, but…I think Genison's more of a _Die Hard_ kind of fan, right Gents?" Link laughed. He sat down on the big green reclining couch, as Malia squeezed in next to him. Link put his feet up as King Daphnes and Queen Estia returned from their suite's kitchen with popcorn and bottled sodas.

"_To be honest_," Malia whispered, "_so am I…_"

"Yes, I rather like that movie also," Impa said, settling into one of the reclining chairs, yet still appearing as proper as ever.

"Hell yeah, let's watch _Die Hard_!" Genison yelled.

"I'm quite a fan of that movie myself," Daphnes nodded. He sat down on the other end of the long green couch, setting up his own feet as Estia sat next to Malia.

"Dad! We're not watching _Die Hard_!" Zelda gave her father a dirty look. "Too late, _Frozen_'s already starting. We can watch _Die Hard_ later."

"Can we watch _The Notebook_ later?" Estia volunteered.

"_NO_!" Daphnes, Genison and Link all yelled, as Malia, Impa, and Zelda laughed. Estia looked surprised as _her choice_ of movie was shot down so quickly and thoroughly.

"No…no, my dear," Daphnes stuttered, "I'd rather be able to _stay awake_ and watch movies with all of you tonight." Genison laughed at Daphnes' unintended joke, and Estia smirked at him.

The singing of the opening of _Frozen_ began, as the men on-screen were cutting the ice. Zelda sat down onto the loveseat, and patted the cushion next to her for Genison to sit down. In mock-disappointment, Genison flopped down onto the seat next to Zelda as she grinned. Link laughed at his best friend's spoiled-child behavior.

As the movie moved through the "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" song, Link stood up from his place on the couch and stretched his legs. Annoyed at the interruption, Zelda _tsked_ at him. Genison chuckled, as Link walked toward the kitchen to grab a beer.

"Grab me one too, Link. This movie might be better if I'm toasty," Genison laughed.

"Shut up, Gents! I want to hear the song!" Zelda grumbled.

"Hey Zel, with all your powers, maybe we should lock _you_ away in your room!" Link yelled from the kitchen, and Genison burst out laughing. Estia and Daphnes just glanced at each other, and giggled quietly.

"Now, now children…let's not argue," Estia joked. Malia laughed.

"How come this movie is so dark? Don't these people have any lights?" Genison interrupted again, as Link handed him a beer. Zelda huffed, then stood up suddenly. She stormed over to where Malia was sitting and took Link's former spot on the sofa.

"Hey!" Link yelled, "Why do you gotta take my spot? I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Too late, I'm sitting next to Malia…right, Malia?" Zelda said.

"Sure, Zel…you and I will watch the handsome Hans woo the beautiful Anna. See, boys? That's what a _real man_ is like! Good-looking, strong, a good singer!" Malia said, giggling. Zelda mockingly stuck her tongue out at Link and Genison on the loveseat, and Genison rolled his eyes. On-screen, Hans stands next to a waterfall as he proposes to Anna.

"Oh my gosh, he is going to marry her _already_?" Estia said. Link looked over to where she sat, and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I… I did not mean it _that _way, Link…" she stuttered, as Daphnes laughed out loud. "You and Malia obviously love each other very much to marry so soon." Malia laughed now, as Estia sat somewhat embarrassed at her comment.

"Oh, that Hans is such a sweetheart!" Zelda cooed, as Hans offers to watch over Arendelle in the movie.

"Yeah, yeah…" Genison muttered. Soon the main song of the movie, "Let It Go" starts.

"Oh my gosh, her voice is beautiful!" Malia said. "I wish I could sing like that."

"So is Queen Elsa a bad guy or a good guy in this movie?" Link asked.

"Maybe she turns good? I mean, I can't imagine the lead character being bad for the whole movie," Genison said, obviously paying attention now.

"She does seem rather…_intentionally_ harsh," Impa said quietly.

"Shhh!" Zelda shushed, and Malia giggled.

"Oh dude, the guy is singing about reindeers," Link said, almost choking on a drink of his beer, "Is his _reindeer_ singing_ too_?"

"Uh…no, I think he's like…_singing for the reindeer_?" Genison said, confused.

"Is something wrong with him?" Both men watched Christoff's character curiously.

Genison laughed suddenly, "That singing reindeer dude just spit in her face! She should have slapped that dude!" In the movie, Anna wipes the spit from her face as Christoff cleans his sled from Anna's feet.

"All guys don't pick their noses, do they?" Malia asked suddenly, referring to a line Christoff says. All three males in the room were silent, and Impa and Estia laughed loudly.

"No, my dear…I'm sure they don't…right boys?" Estia said slyly, and giggled. Impa laughed out loud.

"Oh my gosh, the dude is talking to his reindeer again," Link said, changing the subject. "But Anna is engaged to Hans, right? So she won't end up with talking reindeer guy, right?" Link betrayed that he was actually paying attention to the movie now, and Malia and Zelda giggled.

"Where the hell did the talking snowman come from? Isn't that the one from the beginning of the movie? He didn't talk _then_," Genison said, and Zelda shushed him again. Link laughed.

"They just impaled the snowman," Genison said flatly, referring to the carrot going through Olaf the snowman's face. Genison's face contorted as he watched Olaf talking on-screen.

"That snowman is singing about summer now. What is wrong with these people?" Genison said, and Zelda shushed him louder.

"That's not a person, it's a snowman." Link said, and everyone gave him a funny look.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Genison said, and burst out laughing at Link's confused face.

"Can you gentlemen _please_ let us hear the movie?" Impa said, mocked-exasperatedly. She smiled as Link grinned at her.

"Sorry, _mom_," Link joked.

"Be _quiet_, Link!" Estia said, laughing.

"Sorry, _other mom_," Link chuckled, and Daphnes laughed out loud. Surprisingly, Daphnes, usually the loudest person in the bunch, had been the quietest so far.

The group sat and quietly watched the movie now. On-screen, Anna walks into Queen Elsa's ice palace to find that her sister's look has changed dramatically. The characters discuss Elsa's return to their kingdom of Arendelle, and another song starts up. Elsa gets angry and shoots her sister in the heart with her ice.

"Hmmm, I guess that girl really is bad," Genison muttered. "She just shot her own sister, and all she can talk about is herself and her feelings. Damn, Elsa, your sister needs your help!"

Link laughed at his best friend, and Genison realized how silly he must have sounded.

"I thought you didn't want to watch this movie, Gents?" Zelda joked.

"Well, until I saw Evil Elsa trying to kill her own sister with a giant snowman…Why didn't Elsa just let her leave? Why put her in mortal danger after she knew she'd shot her? That's terrible," Genison said, and everyone laughed at him.

"It's only a movie, Gents," Link said, chuckling.

"Still…that's a….bad example, _for kids_ I mean," Genison said quietly, and Zelda laughed loudly.

The part of the movie where Elsa talks to herself in her ice palace as it's starting to turn red and crack is showing. Genison huffs from his seat on the couch.

"See?" he mumbled. "Her sister could be dead and all she can think about is herself. Poor Anna. Now wait, what is this about Christoff's family? I only see rocks."

"That's because you're talking and not paying attention." Zelda said curtly. Genison turned and grinned at her.

"Oh, haha, those trolls are making fun of Christoff…they called him a fixer-upper! Oh that's hilarious!" Link said, laughing. "Did they just say her engagement was a flex arrangement? 'Get the fiancé out of the way, and the whole thing will be fixed?'" Link shook his head and chuckled. "That's some Maury Povich stuff there." Malia, Zelda and Genison laughed out loud. The trolls suggest that Christoff take Anna back to Hans to heal her.

"Yeah, go back to Hans!" Genison shouted, and everyone turned to look at him. "Well, that's her true love, right? She should stay away from Reindeer-Boy! She's taken!"

The film transitions back to Elsa's ice palace, where Hans and his men are attacking.

"I _told_ you that girl is a cold-blooded killer…she's trying to run those guys through with ice," Genison said, and Link stood up to get them each another beer.

"It's just a movie, Gents…" Link mumbled from the kitchen. "_Let it go_, haha…"

Link sat back down and handed Gents the beer. The movie was now at the part where Christoff returns Anna back to the castle but leaves anyway.

"Oh, Anna will kiss Hans and be okay!" Zelda squealed.

"Kiss her, Hans!" Malia yelled. On-screen, Hans refuses to kiss Anna and finally gives his line about no one loving her.

"_WHAT_?" Link yelled as he dropped his beer, but he caught it again before it hit the floor. Genison sat up straight, and Impa and Daphnes laughed as both males became obviously flustered at the turn of events in the movie.

Zelda, Malia and Estia gasp as Hans puts out the fire in Anna's room, and steps out to tell his people that she's dead. Then he tells them Anna and he had married.

"That son of a bitch!" Link yelled, and Estia gasped. Link laughed meekly, "Sorry, ma'am." Daphnes and Impa laugh out loud again. "Is_ everyone_ in this movie all messed up?"

"Hans is a _bad guy_?" Zelda murmured, heartbroken at the way the story had changed. "Oh, but that was Anna's true love…"

"Guess not," Link muttered, chuckling. "So now Christoff is coming back, but he just met Anna too, so how is Christoff her true love after only like a few hours? Wasn't that the same issue with Hans? This girl really falls in love fast, doesn't she?"

"Shut up, Link…" Zelda grumbled, obviously annoyed that her favorite Hans had turned bad.

"I'm just saying, that…maybe she might have learned the lesson not to fall in love with a guy after only like 30 seconds of knowing him."

Everyone in the room stopped to turn at Link, who apparently didn't realize the irony that he himself was about to marry a woman he'd only known for a short time.

"What's that again, _honey_?" Malia joked slyly, raising an eyebrow at Link. Zelda started laughing, and Genison elbowed him in the side.

"No, I mean…" Link got up off the sofa where he was sitting with Genison, and walked over to where Malia sat next to Zelda. He sat on the arm rest of the couch next to Malia, and reached for her hand as he grinned. "Um…you and I, um…"

"_Sealed the deal_ already?" Genison said flatly, and Daphnes laughed boisterously. Estia gave him a dirty look, but chuckled anyway. Malia's face turned beet red.

"Genison!" Zelda yelled. "Have some tact!" She threw one of the pillows off the couch at him, and he laughed as he caught it.

"A throw pillow doesn't actually mean you have to throw it, Zel…" Genison chuckled.

Link leaned in to give Malia a kiss on the cheek. "No, Gents…" Link smirked at his best friend. "I mean, Malia and I…this isn't some movie, this is real life. I love Malia for _real_. Malia and I know it's not some fairy-tale."

"Big words from a guy who just found out he's a Sheikah king and lives in the Hyrulean royal palace," Genison deadpanned. Impa uncharacteristically burst out laughing, and soon Daphnes, Estia and Zelda were laughing loudly too. Link's mouth dropped open, and Malia giggled. Link ran his hand through his scruffy blond hair and let a half-smile form on his face.

"Ok, so…yeah…anyone ready to watch _Die Hard_ now?" Link grinned.


End file.
